This invention relates to food packaging and, more particularly, to a microwavable bag for steaming foods.
The Mexican food known as a tamale (e.g., corn masa with a meat or vegetable filling) is best cooked or reheated by steaming. If such a food product is microwaved in a conventional microwave package, i.e., a plastic bag, Mylarm or an oxygen barrier film, its outer portions become brown and dry, rendering the product unappetizing. Also, the bag may break due to the steam pressure, which results in incomplete steam cooking and/or further browning or drying. If the bag is instead cut prior to use, so as to prevent splitting of the bag during heating, the tamale cannot be steam heated.
Efforts have been made to provide bags with internal moisture sources for steam cooking. For example, Japanese Reference No. 62-191675 describes a bag, most likely a Mylar(trademark) or metallic, having a water absorbent pad under the food product in an attempt to facilitate steam cooking of the contents. Such bags are believed designed for an electric range top using dry heat. They either do not expand under steam pressure in a microwave environment, and burst, unless vented, or are non-compatible with microwave energy, e.g., the metallized nature of the bag prevents its use in a microwave oven. The pad is intentionally placed under the food product since electric ranges heat from below. Of course, since the food product sits on the water absorbent food, it is possible that the food will absorb the water during storage and transportation, which may result in a soggy food product. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,392, col. 2, lines 41-51. Since the food is uncovered by the absorbent pad, if it were used in a microwave environment where the rays emanate to the sides and top of the food product, the sides and top of the food product may still be susceptible to drying and browning from the microwave exposure. Further, such Mylar(trademark), oxygen barrier film, and metallic bags are very expensive to manufacture.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide packaging which results in hot steaming foods, without using an external source of steam, and without having to open the packaging prior to heating.
It is also a purpose of the present invention to provide food packaging which prevents contamination of the food, and the microwave oven, by remaining aseptically sealed during the entire heating process and up to consumption.
It is another purpose of the present invention to provide food packaging that can be microwaved without the food becoming dry or brown, thereby providing a more appetizing food appearance and texture.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a microwave food packaging that can be steam heated and held unopened, to retain for a longer period of time the steam heat, prior to the need for consumption.
It is also a purpose of the present invention to provide food packaging with a water absorbent pad on the top of the food product, which pad shields the food product from uneven microwave energy.
It is, in addition, a purpose of the present invention to provide a ventless, steamable microwave food packaging which retains all of the steam therein to better cook the food product, and provides a more sanitary microwave oven by not allowing release of water condensation into the oven.
It is also a purpose of the present invention to provide a method for steam heating or cooking foods which is more efficient, and leads to a more palatable food product.
Finally, it is a-purpose of the present invention to provide a less equipment and laborintensive food steaming method.
To achieve the foregoing and other purposes of the present invention there is provided a packaging for food, particularly microwavable convenience foods, and a related method for microwave heating or cooking of such foods. The food packaging includes a bag for enclosing a food product and a moisture pad which is placed on top of the food product. The bag is a stretchable plastic, but is unvented to retain all of the steam. The pad is a material that can absorb water and can release the water as steam into the bag. The pad is preferably moistened with purified water prior to insertion in the bag. The bag is preferably a rectangle made of an elongated tubular sheet sealed at one end, preferably by heat sealing, filled with the food product, with the moistened pad on the top thereof, and sealed at the other end. The pad serves to shield the food product from direct microwave radiation, and to provide a source of steam generated by absorption of the microwaves in the water of the pad.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.